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high dynamic range imaging (HDRI or just HDR) is a set of techniques that allows a greater dynamic range between the lightest and darkest areas of an image than current standard digital imaging techniques or photographic methods.

Magic Lantern has developed firmware fad-on that will enable HDR video on Canon T2i (550D) T3i (600D) and 60D HD DSLR Cameras an it’s FREE! We’ve been expecting HDR Video Cameras to become the norm for years and this is a big leap in that direction. So much effort is going into 3D camera development that HDR isn’t getting it’s fair due. This firmware ad-on solution will likely turn a lot of heads and start a movement in the industry toward HDR video cameras development & design.

HDR imaging is a technique that combines images with a range of exposures to provide higher range of detail from shadow to highlight. Photographers were doing this manually long before digital imaging, but digital solutions make it much easier and feasible, even for video. HDR Video has been accomplished by using multiple cameras in the past, but I’m not aware of any mainstream solutions like Magic Lantern’s firmware will provide. The firmware switches exposure between frames and creates two videos which can later be edited back together to to create a single High Dynamic Range Video. Many advanced still photographers are accomplished HDR technicians. The thought of combining 30FPS Video is mind boggling but today’s computational imaging hardware and software is capable of such mind boggling feats.

Magic Lantern’s first firmware add-on enhanced the sound and video capabilities of the Canon 5D Mark II. Sadly, the HDR Video firmware ad-on will not support the 5D Mark II or the 7D. Below is a video outlining the capabilities of the Canon 5D Firmware add-on. This video explains how the firmware ad-on works.

Vincent Laforet’s HD DSLR film: Reverie was the first to show the amazing capabilities of HD DSLR cameras for shooting video. I believe Reverie was done for Canon to market the 5D camera. The short film really shows off the shallow depth of field and low light capabilities of the Canon 5D HD DSLR for shooting Video. Vincent combines short clips that capture a moment as though they were still pictures. If you haven’t seen Reverie, here it is:

This video on the making of Reverie shows how a small film crew can quickly make stunning HD Video imagery using a HD DSLR with it’s shallow depth of field and low light capabilities.

This video by Vincent is a prime example of how a good still photographers can apply their ascetics using video. The clips are pleasantly short and visually inspiring.

Here, Vincent speaks to a group of photographers about the use of HD DSLR cameras. I’m guessing this is an ASMP or APA Event (American society of Media Photographers or Advertising Photographers of America).

Vincent has teamed up with Chase Jarvis, and CreativeLIVE to create an internet channel on HD DSLR Video production . For over two years they have streamed workshop videos about HD DSLR video & filmmaking. The initial workshops are FREE and the full workshops are available for purchase.

MIT Media Lab researchers have created a high speed camera system that can capture images at a rate of one trillion frames per second. This high speed camera system can capture light traveling through objects. There are a multitude of scientific and artistic uses for a system such as this. For more on the MIT Media Lab visit their site http://www.media.mit.edu/.

Software

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Tutorials

Lynda has many excellent digital photography software tutorials.

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